Best Beaches In The Algarve

The coast of the Algarve, located in the south of Portugal, is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in the world. While it’s famed for its raw and rugged beauty, and it’s true that many of the beaches have incredibly dramatic backdrops of crumbling cliffs, no two beaches in the Algarve are quite alike.

This variety is what makes a trip along this coastline so wondrous – you’ll encounter tiny beaches that are barely more than patches of sand hidden among rocky outcrops, but you’ll also find long flat white-sand beaches that stretch almost as far as the eye can see.

Some of the beaches are tourist hotspots, and are rife with fiestas in the summertime, whereas others are secluded and you’ll rarely see another soul there. The turquoise waters can be calm enough to snorkel in blissful tranquility, or the wind can pick up and produce some of the largest waves you’ll find in Europe (which have long attracted surfers from around the globe).

So, what we’re getting at is that whatever kind of beach you’re after, you can be sure that the Algarve has you covered. A popular way to explore the beaches of the Algarve is by motorhome, as you can drive from beach to beach and get a real sense of how to landscape evolves and witness what each section of the Algarve has to offer. This can be a slow-time consuming experience, however, and not all of us are fortunate enough to have so many holiday days to play with.

Plus, motorhomes just aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. So, if you don’t have the luxury of spending weeks and weeks exploring the Algarve, you’ll need to speed things up a bit. Here, we’ve brought you a selection of the best beach the Algarve has to offer, and we’ve made sure to include beaches located across a wide geographical range so that no matter where you chose to spend your vacation, you’ll not be far from one of this spectacular beaches – enjoy!

Praia da Falésia (Albufeira)

Praia da Falésia is located pretty much slap bang in the middle of the south coast of Portugal, roughly 10 km to the east of Albufeira. Albufeira is a bit of a party town, and it attracts thousands of tourists a year, so it’s not surprising that this beach gets a lot of visitors too. 

You’ll still be able to find yourself a good spot though, even in the height of summer, as the beach itself is an impressive 6 km long. More impressive, however, is the orange clifftop that lines the sand. It’s dotted with shrubs that have somehow managed to take root on the crumbly cliffs and, on the Western end of the beach, in particular, the cliffs are particularly high and humbling.

In the quieter winter months, this beach makes an excellent place for a peaceful beach hike, and you can walk along the top of the cliffs for fantastic ocean views and then loop back on yourself by walking on the beach itself. 

Best for: Long walks, plant lovers

Praia da Marinha (between Carvoeiro and Armação de Pêra)

Praia da Marinha is consistently rated as one of the most beautiful in the entire world, let alone in the Algarve. It has become somewhat of a ‘poster girl’ for the region, and it’s often pictures of this beach that you’ll find in travel brochures and advertisements for the Algarve. The beach itself is on the South coast of Portugal, further West than Praia da Falésia and between the towns of Carvoeiro and Armação de Pêra.

The cliff is lined with golden cliffs and, in the shallows, the turquoise waters are dotted with captivating boulders of the same rock that have long since tumbled from the clifftop. In fact, with cliffs, boulders, and rocky outcrops all the same color, it can be hard to know where the land end and the ocean begins.

Once such protrusion that’s particularly spectacular to behold forms a double archway, known as the M of Marinha – if you’re into photography, make sure you take your camera with you because you’ll be spoilt for choice of beautiful scenic shots. Plus the rocky outcrops make great shelters for passing fish, and the crystal clear waters have made this beach a popular snorkeling spot.

If you park at the car park at the top of the cliff, make sure you pause to take in the scenery before making your way down to the beach itself (and be warned, the steps are not for the fainthearted). From one clifftop angle, the ‘m’ appears to join another section of rock, forming a heart shape that you may well have seen on your local travel agents.

Unfortunately, because of its spectacular beauty, this beach does get pretty crowded during peak season (although not as bad as you might expect). If you want to get some snaps without tonnes of people in them or make sure that you get a decent spot, we definitely recommend getting there early.

Best for: Photography, snorkeling

Meia Praia (Lagos)

Meia Praia is located in the laid-back beach town of Lagos and, at 5 km, it’s one of the Algarve’s longest beaches. While it lacks the dramatic clifftop backgrounds of many of the beaches discussed here, the lack of rocks definitely has some perks. Firstly, its smooth, flat nature makes it a popular choice for runners and dog walkers, who don’t have to worry about any stubbed toes (or paws).

It’s also the only beach in Lagos itself that has surfable waves, so when the swell picks up you’ll find eager surfers racing down to the beach, boards in hand.

While it may not be as picturesque as some of the other beaches listed here,